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#FreeGary – Why the continued persecution of Gary McKinnon should worry more of us

The case of Gary McKinnon shows what happens when one person upsets the entire USA government … they dont get their day in court, they dont get justince – instead what they get is trapped in Orwellian nightmare of human rights sacrificed to appease the USAmerican / British alliance.

So what? Why should this matter to anyone outside his friends and family?

It is simply a case of Governments around the world sending a message to anyone who wants to step out of line that “yes, this can happen to you too”.

A little background
Gary was convinced that UFOs existed and was looking throughout the internet for proof that they did. During this time, between February 2001 and March 2002, he was able to gain access to United States military and NASA computers. Gary says he was able to gain access to machines that were set on a default password, meaning that they had no firewalls or cryptic passwords.Who is Gary McKinnon?

One US prosecutor accused [McKinnon] of committing “the biggest military computer hack of all time”. But Mr McKinnon has said his motives were harmless and innocent – he was, he says, simply looking for information on UFOs.
The US government alleges… that Mr McKinnon altered and deleted files at a US Naval Air Station not long after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and that the attack rendered critical systems inoperableBBC: Profile: Gary McKinnon

It seems a little disgenuine to make a connection between the dates that McKinnon went looking for UFOs and September 11 attacks on USA.

I had a university exam on 13 September 2001, for a class in Religion, Politics, Society and Revolution, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there was a connection between those two events other than their place on the calendar.

British Legal Failure in the continued persecution of McKinnon

This case represents a complete, total and thorough obliteration of that centuries-old British legal principal expressed in The Great Charter of 1215 (the “Magna Carta”), which had been the foundation of British law, which prohibits the imprisonment of citizens without just cause, commonly interpreted as innocent before being proved guilty where the defendant receives the benefit of the doubt.

We tend to think of this period of history as “The Dark Ages” of Europe, following the decline of the Roman Empire, when superstition and illiteracy, barbarism and brutality reigned supreme. And yet, 1215 produced a document of law that shows more compassion and respect for justice than most modern governments.

The Magna Carter did not contain the clause “except if the USA wants to make an example of someone”…

The Magna Carta also explicitly accepts that no “freeman” (non-serf) could be punished except through the Law of the Land (i.e. England / Britain) – it did not say “law of United States of America”

If, as the USA Government says, McKinnon committed a crime, he should be given his day in court, and not kept in legal limbo facing extradition for something the government alleges occurred ten years ago. Why the wait?

If, as the USA Government says, McKinnon committed “the biggest military computer hack of all time”, wouldn’t that something they would desire justice for?

The actions of the USA government does not correspond with their words.

Is this about broken laws and justice? or is this USAmerica showing the world just how powerful and punitive it can be, not only to McKinnon’s family, but also to governments around the world.

Do as your told, don’t step out of line, don’t say anything that anyone disagrees with, be nice, work hard, eat chips for dinner, watch television singing contests, consume, consume, consume, and NEVER ask questions that might embarrass governments.

This is why the case of Gary McKinnon deserves more attention – it can happen to any one of us.

Political Prisoner

iNsuRge – chris dubrow

This song is for all the political prisoners,
both here and around the world,
for the people incarcerated for fraud, stealing, and larceny,
and all other crimes involving property,
for it’s nothing but the state protecting the rich from the poor,
ever since we lost our common ground,
that’s what the law’s been for.
I see no criminals, I see before me political prisoners.

This song is for all my friends,
for all those inside for drug offences,
does the state really care about your own misguided will? – no.
They’re protecting the profits of the pharmaceutical and tobacco corporations,
and you must suffer, for the oligopoly of the few,

This song is for all the political prisoners,
for anyone who wants to live,
live like they know they should,
the indigenous, minorities, the mentally ill,
the passionate few,
as we’re fighting for justice,
they may take away our freedom to walk,
but they can’t take away our
freedom to dream.